The following started out as a comment to be made on Star’s Nov. 9th post, “Elitism: The Intellectual Path in Paganism.” Because what I was writing grew and grew into a pretty wide-ranging little article, I thought I’d go ahead and publish it as its own blog post. So, the references to “you” below are to the author of the original post! Enjoy.. . .Interesting thoughts! I must admit that I’m pretty confused, though, since it seems that you’re seeking a few things which, to me, seem at odds wit … [Read more...]

This summer, I have spent more time doing pagan things – attending festivals and events, teaching and attending workshops, crafting and performing rituals – than at any other point in my life. During these experiences, I have come to believe that one of the largest issues facing paganism today is one of definition: Who are the pagans, exactly? Various answers to this question have been put forward over the years, many of which conflict and confuse, and none of which are adequate in my opinion. To … [Read more...]

“Lâ ilâha illallâh, wa Muḥammadur rasûlullâh.” The young hijabi woman said the words again in English, and I looked down the terraced auditorium desks to stare at the blank wall behind her. She said, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah.”She was a convert to Islam. The Muslim Students’ Association at the University of Chicago, the university I attend, was holding their annual Muslim Awareness week and I was sitting in on a panel discussion given by a diverse group … [Read more...]